photo credit: Glen E. Friedman / click for hi-res version
photo credit: Glen E. Friedman / click for hi-res version
photo credit: Glen E. Friedman / click for hi-res version
GLEN E. FRIEDMAN’S “BURNING FLAGS”
August 6, 2025—The Woody Guthrie Center announces the opening of “Burning Flags,” a powerful exhibition by legendary photographer Glen E. Friedman, on September 19, 2025. The exhibit will be its first showing in the United States after a popular run in Barcelona and Paris. It will bring Friedman’s iconic imagery of early hip-hop, hardcore punk and skateboarding to Tulsa through February 15, 2026.
EXHIBIT TO OPEN AT THE WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 19
FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE GOLDEN ERAS OF SKATEBOARDING, HARDCORE PUNK AND HIP-HOP
Featuring over 50 photos and several audio essays read by the subjects, “Burning Flags” presents striking images of artists who have shaped cultural landscapes, including Ian MacKaye, Ice-T, Tony Alva, Jello Biafra, Chuck D., Alan “Ollie” Gelfand and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. Friedman, known for his raw and uncompromising photography of the hardcore punk, hip-hop and skateboarding scenes, captures the rebellious spirit that echoes the legacy of Woody Guthrie—an artist who used his platform to fight for justice and inspire change.
“My ‘Burning Flags’ exhibition is the enduring photographic legacy of the passionate, iconoclastic individuals I respected and have created with, since 1976 as a young teen — radical skateboarders, revolutionary musical and cultural icons that inspired me,” said Friedman. “The communities of resistance and integrity these originators helped build are here to stay. It is fitting, then, that the U.S. premiere of this work will take place in America’s heartland, at the Woody Guthrie Center, the home of an artist who spent his life fighting against fascism, and for the rights of ordinary people. I am honored and humbled to have the appreciation and support of the American Song Archives to make this possible.”
“‘Burning Flags’ embodies the same fearless activism and cultural commentary that defined Woody Guthrie’s life and work,” said Senior Director of the Woody Guthrie Center Cady Shaw. “Friedman’s photography tells the story of artists who, like Woody, used their voices to challenge the status quo and advocate for a better world. We are honored to share this exhibit with our community and continue the dialogue about art as a vehicle for social change.”
A celebration of the opening will take place Friday, Sept. 19, at the Woody Guthrie Center, with Friedman participating in an on-stage conversation and book signing. Woody Guthrie Center members are invited to a special member exhibit preview before the doors open to the public.
For more information on “Burning Flags,” upcoming events and to become a member, visit woodyguthriecenter.org.
About Glen E. Friedman
Glen E. Friedman, universally considered to be one of the most prominent photographers of his generation, is best known for his influential images of rebellious artists from the golden eras of skateboarding, punk and hip-hop. His photographs of key figures such as Fugazi, Black Flag, Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys, Ice-T, Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys, as well as skateboarding originators Tony Alva and Jay Adams, among many others, not only cemented the importance of these radical subcultures at their beginnings, but have also become the definitive graphic documents of them today. Friedman’s ubiquitous presence in the early stages of such significant movements allowed him a platform to frame the intense spirit of progression and angst that defined an era. His approach, more incendiary than documentary, has fueled a prolific career: since being first published at age 14 in 1976, he has contributed to countless magazine pages and more than 100 record covers, and has authored more than a dozen books. Friedman’s work is included in numerous world-class institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Morgan Library and Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
About the Woody Guthrie Center
The Woody Guthrie Center, located at 102 E. Reconciliation Way in Tulsa, OK, celebrates the life, music and artistry of the influential folk musician while seeking to ignite a passion for social change and foster a world in which the values of justice, equality and compassion prevail.
www.woodyguthriecenter.org
For more information, please contact Krista Williams, Samantha Tillman or
Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000.